Landmark display

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture, including a horizontal shelf, a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to the horizontal shelf, and a souvenir substance attached to the article of furniture. In another embodiment, a cabinet, including two or more walls, a horizontal shelf attached to the walls, and a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to the horizontal shelf.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the representation ofhistoric landmarks.

BACKGROUND

A broad interest exists in depictions, and especially scale models, offamous buildings and other landmarks. Such depictions often provide bothesthetic and educational value, yet are unsuitable for home use forseveral reasons. Scale models can require substantial amounts of spaceand fail to conform to typical home decors, for example. A visualrepresentation that is combined with a piece of furniture can, however,provide value to consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An article of furniture, including a horizontal shelf, a visualrepresentation of a historic landmark attached to the horizontal shelf,and a souvenir substance attached to the article of furniture. Inanother embodiment, a cabinet, including two or more walls, a horizontalshelf attached to the walls, and a visual representation of a historiclandmark attached to the horizontal shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a detail view of a visual representation forming a portion ofa first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following definitions are provided to aid in construing the claimsof the present application:

Famous: For the purposes of the present application, a landmark,document, person, item, or any type of knowledge is considered famous ifit is publicly available knowledge, regardless of the percentage of thepublic actually being aware of it.

Furniture: For the purposes of the present application, a cabinet,chest, or table.

Historical Landmark: A famous building, such as Independence Hall inPhiladelphia, Pa., a natural landmark, such as the Grand Canyon, aman-made landmark or object, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, a city,town, or village, a historic battlefield or campaign, a representationof a map, a representation of the solar system or any other portion ofthe universe.

Souvenir Substance: A portion of an original substance, such as a treeor other plant, rock, quantity of earth or sand, portion of a building,or other original substance.

Visual Representation: A drawing, hologram, painting, model (whether ofnot to scale), or other representation of a historical landmark.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated. FIG. 2 illustrates the entire first embodiment; FIG. 1shows a detail view of one portion of it. An item of furniture 100,comprising at least a horizontal shelf 105 is shown. The item offurniture can be a cabinet, such as a cabinet, a chest, a dresser, or atable. In a first embodiment, it is a cabinet, such as a curio cabinetor a colonial style china cabinet. In this first embodiment, furniture100, further comprises a plurality of walls 10 attached to horizontalshelf 105, top 115 attached to walls 110, and one or more doors 120attached to walls 110. Plurality of walls 110 can include two or anygreater number of walls, but generally includes two or three walls. Thecabinet can be constructed of a wide variety of materials including, butnot limited to, solid wood, wood veneer, plastic, and metal. In a firstembodiment, the cabinet is constructed of solid oak or mahogany and can,but need not, be treated with a finish. In the first embodiment,hardware can also be added to the cabinet based at least in part onvisual considerations (i.e., to conform to colonial styling). In thefirst embodiment, one or more doors 120 are a single glass door to allowthe items attached to the interior of the cabinet to be viewed withoutopening the cabinet.

In other embodiments other materials and other types of construction canbe utilized. Moreover, it is not necessary that the cabinet be closed,that doors be included (or that if doors are included that they betransparent), or that the horizontal shelf be located in the interior ofthe cabinet. Moreover, other types of furniture, such as chests,dressers, and tables can be used as well as cabinets in otherembodiments.

Referring again to FIG. 1, visual representation 130 is attached tohorizontal shelf 105. Visual representation 130 can be a scale model ofa historic building, such as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa., thebirthplace of our country. It can also be any other sort of visualrepresentation as defined above and can be of any historical landmark asdefined above. For example, a scale model of a building such as sportsstadium, the Second Temple, or the Eiffel Tower, or a city (modern orancient) or a representation of a famous battlefield are all possible.In the first embodiment, souvenir substance 135 is also attached tohorizontal shelf 105. Souvenir substance 135 can be a piece of ahistoric tree, such as the Ailanthus Altissima tree located in thecourtyard area on the southeast side of Independence Hall, a few feetfrom where the late president John F. Kennedy delivered his speech onthe interdependence of nations on Jul. 4, 1962, or any other souvenirsubstance as described above. In the first embodiment, the souvenirsubstance relates in some way to the historical landmark. It is aportion of the landmark or an item close to the landmark or an item orportion thereof used with or associated with the landmark. In certainother embodiments of the present invention, souvenir substance 135 isnot utilized.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, one or more famousitems are also attached to furniture 100, and in some such embodiments,such one or more famous items relate to visual representation 130. Inthe first embodiment, representations of the Syng Inkstand 140 and theLiberty Bell 145 can accompany a visual representation of IndependenceHall 130. In other embodiments of the present invention, however, nofamous items are used.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, one or more famousdocuments are also attached to furniture 100, and in some suchembodiments, such one or more famous documents relate to visualrepresentation 130. In the first embodiment, a representation of theDeclaration of Independence (not illustrated) and a representation ofthe Constitution (not illustrated) can accompany a visual representationof Independence Hall 130. These documents can be enclosed in framesmatching the styling of furniture 100. In other embodiments of thepresent invention, however, no famous documents are used.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, representations of oneor more famous persons are also attached to furniture 100, and in somesuch embodiments, such one or more famous documents relate to visualrepresentation 130. In the first embodiment, a representation of ThomasJefferson 150 can accompany a visual representation of Independence Hall130. In other embodiments of the present invention, however, no famousdocuments are used.

Written explanations relating to famous items, such as Liberty Bell 145,and famous persons, such as Thomas Jefferson 150, can also accompanyvisual representation 130. In a first embodiment, a written explanation155 relating to Thomas Jefferson 150 is illustrated. Other or differentwritten explanations can also be included or located elsewhere or nowritten explanations need be utilized.

In a first embodiment, a written explanation (not shown) relating tosouvenir substance 135 can be attached to or engraved into the frontside of shelf 105 facing the viewer of visual representation 130. Forexample, in the case of a souvenir substance consisting of a particularhistoric tree located at Independence Hall, this written explanation caninclude the former location of the tree (when it was alive), the type oftree (ailanthus altissima) and its characteristics, historical factsrelating to the tree, and other textual or visual material, such as arepresentation of the great seal of the president of the United States.In other embodiments, this written explanation can be located elsewhereof need not be utilized.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention.Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of theinvention.

1. An article of furniture, comprising: a horizontal shelf; a visualrepresentation of a historic landmark attached to said horizontal shelf;and a souvenir substance attached to the article of furniture.
 2. Thearticle of furniture of claim 1, further comprising: a cover attached tosaid horizontal shelf.
 3. The article of furniture of claim 2, whereinat least a portion of said cover is transparent.
 4. The article offurniture of claim 1, wherein the article of furniture is one of acabinet, a chest, and a table.
 5. The article of furniture of claim 1,wherein the article of furniture is a cabinet; and wherein saidhorizontal shelf is located within the interior of the article offurniture.
 6. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein saidhorizontal shelf is located on the upper surface of the article offurniture.
 7. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the historiclandmark is one of a historic building, a historic battlefield, a city,and a natural landmark.
 8. The article of furniture of claim 1, whereinthe historic landmark is Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa.
 9. Thearticle of furniture of claim 1, wherein the souvenir substance is oneof a piece of a plant, a piece of a rock, a quantity of earth, aquantity of sand, and a piece of a building.
 10. The article offurniture of claim 1, wherein the souvenir substance is an item relatedto the historic landmark.
 11. The article of furniture of claim 1,wherein the souvenir substance is a piece of a tree growing nearIndependence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa.
 12. The article of furniture ofclaim 1, further comprising a representation of at least one famousperson attached to the article of furniture.
 13. The article offurniture of claim 12, wherein the famous person depicted in saidrepresentation of at least one famous person is related to the historiclandmark.
 14. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein the famousperson depicted in said representation of at least one famous person isone of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
 15. The article offurniture of claim 1, further comprising a representation of at leastone famous document attached to the article of furniture.
 16. Thearticle of furniture of claim 15, wherein the famous document depictedin said representation of at least one famous document is related to thehistoric landmark.
 17. The article of furniture of claim 15, wherein thefamous document depicted in said representation of at least one famousdocument is the Declaration of Independence.
 18. The article offurniture of claim 1, further comprising a representation of at leastone famous item attached to the article of furniture.
 19. The article offurniture of claim 18, wherein the famous item depicted in saidrepresentation of at least one famous item is related to the historiclandmark.
 20. The article of furniture of claim 18, wherein the famousitem depicted in said representation of at least one famous item is oneof the Syng Inkstand and the Liberty Bell.
 21. The article of furnitureof claim 1, wherein the visual representation is a model.
 22. Thearticle of furniture of claim 1, wherein the visual representation is ascale model.
 23. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the visualrepresentation is a two dimensional picture.
 24. A cabinet, comprising:a plurality of walls; a horizontal shelf attached to said plurality ofwalls; and a visual representation of a historic landmark attached tosaid horizontal shelf.